We need to get Amelie and Jarrah a couple of horses. Today, Sunday, Amelie was very happy because she didn't have any school. So, the two proceeded to turn our house into stables and walked around riding their toy horses (barbie horse sized). This is what they do everyday and I am always having to drag Amelie away from their horseplay. They both have a lassoo, cowboy hats and boots. The dogs usually get roped into being their horses and Jarrah gets very upset when they escape from their stables or if they get untied (they are OFTEN tied up - poor dogs, they are very patient).
Jarrah loves Amelie. She cries when Amelie goes off to school. She is sad when Amelie can't play with her. It is nice that they play together so well most of the time. Amelie calls Jarrah "J." Not sure if that will stick but it is cute.
Jarrah is also our assigned gracesayer. Everytime we ask whose turn is it for grace, she points to herself and says me. Her current grace is:
" Dear Jesus,
thank you for the nice day,
please help Amelie's cough to get better,
please bless our food,
Amen."
She was asking for help until just the other day, and now says it all herself.
Just a minute ago, Lolly, our peacock who should be up in the trees right now as it is dark, jumped up on the table next to me and stood on Aunty Ann's book. He tore a page! Sorry Aunty Ann. I was trying really hard to keep the book nice (it is the Ben Carson book if you are wondering.. really really sorry!)
Amelie just made some oatmeal cookies almost all by herself. They last batch burned because the timer wasn't set right but they are yummy. And I just made some eggplant pickle. Four bottles!! Not sure what I will do with it all as it isn't that good. Maybe it isn't too bad. We'll see. The eggplant were these volunteer round eggplant, small, that we had in our garden and just harvested them all to put in some other stuff. They are very seedy. So, that is done. Not sure if I need to seal the bottles or not. They are very vinegary and oily. Maybe we can eat them before they go bad.
Anyway, those are my musings for the evening.
Love from me.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Friday, October 21, 2011
The handyman
I was going to write about our trip early this month to Phnom Penh. Then that all went too fast. Then we came home and I have had odd things to write about here but haven't until now sat down to start and now the mosquitos are biting me and I just accidentally turned off the internet so we'll see how this goes.
On Sunday I fixed things around the house. I fixed Amelie's lamp which had a rusted out light fitting. I replaced an electric box which needed two outlets instead of one which brings electricity from our generator to the house (and the washing machine). I needed two outlets so that we could also plug in an inverter that would convert the 220V power coming from the generator to 110V so we could plug that into the rest of our house and then when the generator was on, we would not have to use the battery power (important in the wet season because of much rain and little sun to charge the batteries). It is important if we do plug in the generator into our 110V system, that we turn off our regular inverter coming out of the battery so this doesn't get burnt up. After all that, the other night I said to Ben "I'm a pretty good handyman." That was my failing. Also, I should remember to write notes to myself. Yesterday morning, I was doing the washing so I had the generator on. I thought I would be smart and also plug in the inverter so I could use power in the house for the computer for a bit. I forgot to go an unplug the other inverter. So, I burnt up the other inverter. The new inverter we just bought from the US. The new inverter with the fan that works good. The new inverter which we cannot replace except by going to the US! So, I am not so smart. I should never think I am smart. And I should write notes to myself.
Anyway, today, we went through our stash of old inverters and found an old one which has been repaired once and its fan still works for how long we don't know but we are using that now for our electricity. The kids electricity was not working in their room for some reason after this mishap. So, today I managed to fix that quite easily luckily. I'm not going to say anything about me being a handyman though.
On Sunday I fixed things around the house. I fixed Amelie's lamp which had a rusted out light fitting. I replaced an electric box which needed two outlets instead of one which brings electricity from our generator to the house (and the washing machine). I needed two outlets so that we could also plug in an inverter that would convert the 220V power coming from the generator to 110V so we could plug that into the rest of our house and then when the generator was on, we would not have to use the battery power (important in the wet season because of much rain and little sun to charge the batteries). It is important if we do plug in the generator into our 110V system, that we turn off our regular inverter coming out of the battery so this doesn't get burnt up. After all that, the other night I said to Ben "I'm a pretty good handyman." That was my failing. Also, I should remember to write notes to myself. Yesterday morning, I was doing the washing so I had the generator on. I thought I would be smart and also plug in the inverter so I could use power in the house for the computer for a bit. I forgot to go an unplug the other inverter. So, I burnt up the other inverter. The new inverter we just bought from the US. The new inverter with the fan that works good. The new inverter which we cannot replace except by going to the US! So, I am not so smart. I should never think I am smart. And I should write notes to myself.
Anyway, today, we went through our stash of old inverters and found an old one which has been repaired once and its fan still works for how long we don't know but we are using that now for our electricity. The kids electricity was not working in their room for some reason after this mishap. So, today I managed to fix that quite easily luckily. I'm not going to say anything about me being a handyman though.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
2010 Photobook
Here is our 2010 photobook I just had published and haven't seen yet as the copies arrived two days after we left the US. They are getting longer and longer. I'll have to take less pictures next year.
Friday, September 30, 2011
The first week back at home
Well we got home after being away for almost 2 months. Our first attempt to come home ended about one and a half hours out of Phnom Penh with a busted head gasket and an empty radiator. After pouring two 20 litre buckets of water into the radiator we made it back home and took the car to the proper Land Rover repair place where it stood in the company of mostly $100K to $200K valued cars while they repaired the hose (cause of the radiator water leaking out and the consequent busted head casket). So, two days later, we attempted another return trip home and made it. We visited our house in Kompong Thom where our neighbours have ponies whom Amelie and Jarrah visited.
Came home and the rains had filled up our water tanks. Our generator has been giving trouble for a while before we left for the US and it had ruined our water pump and so the only water we had was rain water. We fixed the pump or so we thought. So we enjoyed the rain water for a few days till the rain stopped. I enjoy the rain water because it doesn't leave with sediment when boiled like my pump water (making my tea gritty!) thinking that we could just install the pump and we'd be set. So, it stopped raining and we tested be pump and it STILL didn't work. So, after using water from our creek for a day (coloured water) or so in the hope it would rain again, we gave in and bought a cheap pump from the local hardware shop. So, I was then set to do a weeks load of washing. Started up my washing machine and after the first agitation cycle, noticed that the drain and spin wasn't working. It just went Errrr, and a little Er, R, Er, R. And then it started to smell. So, we think maybe we burned up the engine a bit, maybe, I hope not. But we'll take it to Phnom Penh anyway to see. We need a new generator as ours is a bit worn out and it hasn't been giving out as much power as it should have which is possibly why the machine and the water pump have been giving trouble (running on low voltage). Anyway this train of thought is getting too technical for me. I did however do a load of handwashing today and it almost dried. Did I write about the washing I have had hanging out for 4 days drying because of the rain... Wishing for a dryer, stable electricity or no rain.
On another topic, we started Amelie's new school year on Monday. She has had a 2 month break from any school and it is not too much fun adding structure back into her playtime. Ben has been home this week and also able to occupy Miss Jarrah while I've been trying to teach Amelie. She has her own little workbook she thinks she is studying from which keeps her busy for a little while but when she realises that I am not giving her the desired attention she complains. Anyway, we'll have to work something out with her. She is getting easier as she gets older at least. Right now, Amelie is learning her 3X table, reading a book called Seaman about a dog who was an important member of the Lewis and Clark expidition from Pennsylvania to Seattle (we had just traveled on some of their route, so relevant!) and finishing up her science from last year about the solar system and space. She just started (today) washing the dishes again and has begun again to make her bed in the morning! Khmer school starts next week but she'll be missing the first week as we are heading again to PP.
Apart from that, the girls are both still horse crazy. Amelie and Jarrah were both given cowboy hats in the US and Amelie got some real cowboy boots for her birthday. They have lassos here that their dad made for them. We made some stick horses. So they are running around swinging lassos and galloping. Jarrah has perfected her neighing and winnying.
A little girl came today with four baby rats especially for Amelie. I have made it known that I will not lift a finger to keep them alive. Ben is being a bit nicer about the whole thing. Jarrah carried two of them around for a few hours today. Later on, two were attacked by ants and died. Another one just died (they weren't fed all day) and one is left. Amelie is right now trying to syringe feed the last one. Jarrah just said:
"Those rats are always getting dead."
I hope so.
We have caught about 14 chickens and sold about 11 of them. We have a new income source. I made chicken curry with the two we kept. We have eggplant in the garden (yes, Liz, still) and cucumber and the string beans just ran out. We have basil and Ben just fed me a spoonful of passionfruit. The wind blew and two dropped. If we don't get them right away, the deer get them. The little squirrels sometimes make holes them and drop them so we don't get too many. Ben is going to use his slingshot skills to get them down - they are about 10m up the tree that the vine climbed up.
So that has been our week and a half. It is the weekend now so have a nice weekend everyone.
Love Sharyn.
Came home and the rains had filled up our water tanks. Our generator has been giving trouble for a while before we left for the US and it had ruined our water pump and so the only water we had was rain water. We fixed the pump or so we thought. So we enjoyed the rain water for a few days till the rain stopped. I enjoy the rain water because it doesn't leave with sediment when boiled like my pump water (making my tea gritty!) thinking that we could just install the pump and we'd be set. So, it stopped raining and we tested be pump and it STILL didn't work. So, after using water from our creek for a day (coloured water) or so in the hope it would rain again, we gave in and bought a cheap pump from the local hardware shop. So, I was then set to do a weeks load of washing. Started up my washing machine and after the first agitation cycle, noticed that the drain and spin wasn't working. It just went Errrr, and a little Er, R, Er, R. And then it started to smell. So, we think maybe we burned up the engine a bit, maybe, I hope not. But we'll take it to Phnom Penh anyway to see. We need a new generator as ours is a bit worn out and it hasn't been giving out as much power as it should have which is possibly why the machine and the water pump have been giving trouble (running on low voltage). Anyway this train of thought is getting too technical for me. I did however do a load of handwashing today and it almost dried. Did I write about the washing I have had hanging out for 4 days drying because of the rain... Wishing for a dryer, stable electricity or no rain.
On another topic, we started Amelie's new school year on Monday. She has had a 2 month break from any school and it is not too much fun adding structure back into her playtime. Ben has been home this week and also able to occupy Miss Jarrah while I've been trying to teach Amelie. She has her own little workbook she thinks she is studying from which keeps her busy for a little while but when she realises that I am not giving her the desired attention she complains. Anyway, we'll have to work something out with her. She is getting easier as she gets older at least. Right now, Amelie is learning her 3X table, reading a book called Seaman about a dog who was an important member of the Lewis and Clark expidition from Pennsylvania to Seattle (we had just traveled on some of their route, so relevant!) and finishing up her science from last year about the solar system and space. She just started (today) washing the dishes again and has begun again to make her bed in the morning! Khmer school starts next week but she'll be missing the first week as we are heading again to PP.
Apart from that, the girls are both still horse crazy. Amelie and Jarrah were both given cowboy hats in the US and Amelie got some real cowboy boots for her birthday. They have lassos here that their dad made for them. We made some stick horses. So they are running around swinging lassos and galloping. Jarrah has perfected her neighing and winnying.
A little girl came today with four baby rats especially for Amelie. I have made it known that I will not lift a finger to keep them alive. Ben is being a bit nicer about the whole thing. Jarrah carried two of them around for a few hours today. Later on, two were attacked by ants and died. Another one just died (they weren't fed all day) and one is left. Amelie is right now trying to syringe feed the last one. Jarrah just said:
"Those rats are always getting dead."
I hope so.
We have caught about 14 chickens and sold about 11 of them. We have a new income source. I made chicken curry with the two we kept. We have eggplant in the garden (yes, Liz, still) and cucumber and the string beans just ran out. We have basil and Ben just fed me a spoonful of passionfruit. The wind blew and two dropped. If we don't get them right away, the deer get them. The little squirrels sometimes make holes them and drop them so we don't get too many. Ben is going to use his slingshot skills to get them down - they are about 10m up the tree that the vine climbed up.
So that has been our week and a half. It is the weekend now so have a nice weekend everyone.
Love Sharyn.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
The USA Part II
Hello again, just a few head tips needed this time. Sorry. We have pictures of the girls (Sierra and Amelie) in their blue dresses from Aunty Lisa (Jarrah only graced us with wearing it once) and I barely managed to picture. We have Cindy the horse, ice cream and Aunty Jennifer's garden with Jorgi and Theo and Amelie's birthday party and cake and Amelie with her birthday present (size 4 cowboy boots), the plane ride and swimming in the lake, and hiking in the woods.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
The USA
Here are some photos. Sorry you'll have to tip your head from side to side. I'll fix them later.
Love from me xx.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Back Back Again
Knock Knock -- anyone there?
Anyway, whether anyone is or not.. here is what we are up to.
It is Sabbath afternoon. Jarrah still napping on the bed (at 5.41pm). Lolly the peacock just finished his nap (on the bed with Jarrah and is now drinking water from our water bucket.
We have a bucket of water in the kitchen because we have no water coming out of our taps. The water pump is broken. The generator (that makes the water pump pump) is also sick. The rain has not come. We set up an elaborate water catching system that will put rain water into our water tank. But the rain that was coming so faithfully every night has stopped and we are experiencing the most beautiful CLEAR days since the water catching device was set up. Ahhhh!
So, maybe we'll have to visit the village well soon.
No Lolly is on the sinck drinking from puddles left around the undone dishes.
We have a pet civit cat who is named Sammy (the Sampoet). He is just a baby and very cute. Jarrah loves him and can't understand why he gets to sleep all day when she wants to play with him.
The squirrel is still on the rampage. I have learned to live with him and there haven't been any bloody situations again (yet).
We have taken to selling our chickens at the market. Ben gets funny looks all round (somehow people think we should be giving our chickens away). So far we have sold about 12 or so chickens. Not bad money at $4 a kilogram. Especially since we have run out of cash up here till we get to Phnom Penh next.
Amelie is finished with her Khmer school for the year. They had a party today but we didn't go. She came 15th and has been allowed to go up to 2nd grade next year. Not bad for someone who can't speak Khmer very well and has missed about a third of the school year with all our travels. She likes going which is good and her Khmer is coming along quite well. Better than mine. She complimented me the other day that I said one of her friend's name very well. Quite a compliment.
Jarrah is growing. Not sure what into. She neighs and winnies most of the time. She calls herself Flicka or Katy (Flicka's owner) half the time and Bindi the other half. Now she is calling herself "Jayra." Seems to have stopped calling herself Jaja. We think we just need to buy hay for her now - should save on our food bill as she eats quite a lot.
We are heading to the US in 10 days. "Jayra" is very happy about this because she is going to see her grandpa's horses. So is Amelie as you can imagine.
Well, that is the end of the quick update on us for now.
Love Sharyn
Anyway, whether anyone is or not.. here is what we are up to.
It is Sabbath afternoon. Jarrah still napping on the bed (at 5.41pm). Lolly the peacock just finished his nap (on the bed with Jarrah and is now drinking water from our water bucket.
We have a bucket of water in the kitchen because we have no water coming out of our taps. The water pump is broken. The generator (that makes the water pump pump) is also sick. The rain has not come. We set up an elaborate water catching system that will put rain water into our water tank. But the rain that was coming so faithfully every night has stopped and we are experiencing the most beautiful CLEAR days since the water catching device was set up. Ahhhh!
So, maybe we'll have to visit the village well soon.
No Lolly is on the sinck drinking from puddles left around the undone dishes.
We have a pet civit cat who is named Sammy (the Sampoet). He is just a baby and very cute. Jarrah loves him and can't understand why he gets to sleep all day when she wants to play with him.
The squirrel is still on the rampage. I have learned to live with him and there haven't been any bloody situations again (yet).
We have taken to selling our chickens at the market. Ben gets funny looks all round (somehow people think we should be giving our chickens away). So far we have sold about 12 or so chickens. Not bad money at $4 a kilogram. Especially since we have run out of cash up here till we get to Phnom Penh next.
Amelie is finished with her Khmer school for the year. They had a party today but we didn't go. She came 15th and has been allowed to go up to 2nd grade next year. Not bad for someone who can't speak Khmer very well and has missed about a third of the school year with all our travels. She likes going which is good and her Khmer is coming along quite well. Better than mine. She complimented me the other day that I said one of her friend's name very well. Quite a compliment.
Jarrah is growing. Not sure what into. She neighs and winnies most of the time. She calls herself Flicka or Katy (Flicka's owner) half the time and Bindi the other half. Now she is calling herself "Jayra." Seems to have stopped calling herself Jaja. We think we just need to buy hay for her now - should save on our food bill as she eats quite a lot.
We are heading to the US in 10 days. "Jayra" is very happy about this because she is going to see her grandpa's horses. So is Amelie as you can imagine.
Well, that is the end of the quick update on us for now.
Love Sharyn
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)